What Does a Dentist Do?

You have probably been to the dentist a few times. Dentists take care of people's teeth. If you take good care of your teeth, they will last all your life. Dentists learn about teeth in dental school. When they are finished with school, they know more about helping people with their teeth.

Dentists Clean Your Teeth

Dentists make your smile brighter when they clean your teeth. They use special toothpaste to give your teeth a good cleaning. Also, they make sure to clean the places in your mouth that are hard for you to reach.

Dentists use tools such as mouth mirrors. Mouth mirrors are little mirrors that dentists use to look at your teeth. The mirrors help dentists see parts of your mouth that they can't see with their eyes.

Dentists sometimes take x-rays. X-rays are special pictures. They help dentists look inside your teeth. Dentists can tell if you have a cavity by looking at an x-ray.

Dentists Teach You

Dentists teach you how to brush and floss correctly. They tell you to eat healthy foods so that your teeth stay healthy.

Dentists say to brush your teeth after every meal and before you go to bed. They say to brush all parts of your teeth and even your tongue! They teach you to brush with short back-and-forth movements.

They also say to floss your teeth once a day. Dental floss cleans between your teeth. Use it to remove food you missed with a toothbrush. Brushing, flossing, and eating right will make your teeth as healthy as they can be.